Old Masters and New Masters galleries in Dresden: masterpieces beyond compare

Even the young Johann Wolfgang Goethe was enraptured after a visit to the Dresden Art Gallery: "My amazement goes beyond words!" he is said to have exclaimed. Today's visitors will be equally impressed, whether they look round the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in the Semper wing of Zwinger Palace or the separate Galerie Neue Meister at the Albertinum on Brühl Terrace, a gallery that was established in 1965.

Here you begin to understand what the terms 'master' and 'masterly' truly mean. They are synonymous with outstanding works from the Italian Renaissance and Baroque – most notably Raphael's 'Sistine Madonna'– as well as the legacy of geniuses such as Titian, Canaletto, Botticelli, Veronese and Tintoretto. Masterly are the Flemish and Dutch paintings of the 17th century – Rubens, Rembrandt, Van Dyck and Vermeer – and works by Spanish, French and German painters including Dürer, Cranach and Holbein. The quality of the collection and the magnificent Semper building are what make the Old Masters Gallery so special.The New Masters Gallery pays tribute to the most influential German artists of the Romantic era, including Caspar David Friedrich, and spans the period right up to the present day. Impressionists such as Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Max Liebermann, Max Slevogt and Expressionists such as Otto Dix, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and Karl Schmidt-Rottluff take visitors on a tour of modern art history right up to the time of Gerhard Richter, Sigmar Polke and Georg Baselitz.

The Protestant answer to St. Peter's Basilica: the Church of Our Lady

Dresden's restored Church of Our Lady represents the pinnacle of Protestant ecclesiastic architecture and is a prime example of the European baroque style. For over 250 years, this masterpiece created by the city's master carpenter and architect George Bähr has reflected the prosperity and faith of Dresden's citizens. Built between 1726 and 1743, the badly damaged church became a war memorial after 1945 and is now a symbol of reconciliation. Its re-consecration was broadcast live to the world in 2005 and a series of prestigious concerts, church services and free sightseeing visits are currently giving visitors the chance to marvel at its glory.

Germany's strangest-looking cinema: the UFA Kristallpalast

This unique cinema complex was built in 1997-98 to plans by Viennese architectural firm Coop Himmelb(l)au. A fine example of deconstructionism, the tall glass structure forms a striking contrast with the surrounding high-rise buildings – a legacy of the former East Germany. The exterior is a fascinating blend of concrete, steel and glass architecture. The outer glass panels held in place by a clearly visible steel framework give the building the crystal-like structure from which it derived its name.

A marvel of design and sound: Semper Opera House

Built between 1838 and 1841 by Gottfried Semper, the Semper Opera House is home to the Saxon State Opera, which looks back on a long and illustrious past. Musical accompaniment is provided by the prestigious Dresden State Orchestra of Saxony.

With its refined architecture and fantastic acoustics, this temple of the muses is a triumph of 19th century theatre design and one of the most beautiful opera houses in the world. Built in the Italian high renaissance style, the magnificent building is equally impressive inside: the walls, rooms and corridors are richly decorated with paintings and artistic ornamentation.

Art in the garden city: Hellerau festival hall

Hellerau festival hall in Germany's first garden city was built in 1911 to designs by architect Heinrich Tessenow. In the place where the Bauhaus style of architecture has its roots, the legend of Hellerau lives on in an enchanting cultural venue on the outskirts of Dresden, where artistic visions are turned into reality and experimentation is encouraged. Since 2004 the festival hall has housed the Hellerau European Centre for the Arts, an interdisciplinary organisation focusing on the European avant garde. The programme includes theatre, dance, media art, the fine arts, performance and music.

A feat of engineering in the Bürgerviertel: the 'Blue Wonder'

Set in an area of immense natural beauty with spectacular views of the Elbe river valley, the hillsides above the river in Loschwitz form one of Dresden's prime residential districts. When the steel suspension bridge linking Loschwitz and Blasewitz was built between 1891 and 1893, it was regarded as an engineering miracle. Its light-blue paint finish earned it the name 'Blaues Wunder' (Blue Wonder), although it's officially called the Loschwitz Bridge. Experts have been discussing the bridge's future for many years and, at present, it is expected to remain in use at least until 2030. From Körnerplatz, you can take a funicular or the suspension railway up into the hills overlooking the Elbe.

A golden age at the Green Vault

The Green Vault, the former treasure chamber of the Wettin dynasty of Saxony, covers around 2,000m² of exhibition space.

Every year, it dazzles many thousands of visitors with its glittering collection of exquisitely crafted jewellery and gold. A visit to the Green Vault does require some planning, however, as it only has capacity for 100 people per hour. Tickets are valid for specific time slots only, which means that everyone can admire the exhibits at their leisure without having to fight the crowds.

Zwinger & Old Master Gallery in Dresden

This architectural masterpiece is one of Europe's foremost late-baroque buildings. The Crown Gate (Kronentor) with its golden dome has become a famous Dresden landmark.

Zwinger Palace was once used for court festivities. Even back then, its buildings housed the Electoral art collections, library, Old Masters Gallery, armoury, porcelain collection, zoology museum and Royal Cabinet of Mathematical and Physical Instruments. With its enchanting fountains and picturesque backdrop, the courtyard is a great place to relax and in the summer is used as a stage for open-air events. Read more

Blue haze and the orient: the Yenidze

The Yenidze is a former cigarette factory in Dresden. It was named after a tobacco-producing town in the Ottoman Empire now known as Genisea. The building was designed in 1909 by Martin Hammitzsch in the style of a mosque, and features a glass dome and chimney as the minaret. The coloured glass dome was reglazed in subtle shades in 1966 when the Yenidze was used as a warehouse and administration building for the Dresden tobacco office. After faithful restoration in 1996, it reopened as offices with a public restaurant in the dome.

All good things come in threes: the palaces on the Elbe

Schloss Albrechtsberg, Lingnerschloss and Schloss Eckberg, also known as the palaces along the Elbe, are situated around 3km east of Dresden city centre, on the slopes above the river Elbe in the Radeberg district. They offer impressive views of the opposite side of the river. All three were built between 1850 and 1861 on the site of a former vineyard and are set in an extensive area of parkland laid out in the English style. During the day they are easily accessible through several gates along Bautzener Landstrasse and a gate on the Elbe Cycle Route.

An alternative republic: the baroque pub and club quarter of Neustadt

With its multicultural feel, Neustadt is Dresden's most vibrant quarter. Many of Dresden's artists, musicians, balcony gardeners, starry-eyed idealists and students live here. This romantic labyrinth of buzzing lanes and small courtyards is also home to more than 150 bars of all description, cabaret theatres, galleries, studios, music clubs and funky boutiques. The 'colourful republic of Neustadt', a traditional festival of art and culture, is one of the best-known street festivals in the whole of Germany.

Building cars the modern way: VW's 'transparent factory'

VW's 'transparent factory', designed by Munich architectural firm Gunther Henn, represents a new era in automotive manufacturing, a pioneering production plant – smooth, clean and transparent.

This prestigious symbol of the Free State of Saxony and the Volkswagen Group follows the strategy of combining a futuristic setting in beautifully landscaped grounds with the legend of this famous baroque city. The environmentally friendly CarGoTram transports all parts – with the exception of the bodies – from the VW logistics centre at Dresden-Friedrichstadt railway station to the factory.

Military History Museum

The Bundeswehr Military History Museum in Dresden is one of Europe's most important history museums.

The focal point of the museum is mankind itself and the causes and consequences of war and violence. Different viewpoints and historical destinies are reflected in the 10,000-plus exhibits, which provide new insights into social and cultural history. This award-winning exhibition is housed in a breathtaking space designed by star architect Daniel Libeskind.

Opening times:

Thursday-Tuesday 10am-6pm, Monday 10am-9pm, Wednesday closed

Deutsches Hygiene Museum

With its Human Adventure permanent exhibition and the Our Five Senses children's museum, the Deutsche Hygiene Museum is one of Dresden's most important and innovative cultural attractions.

Founded in 1912, this well-established museum is today a scientific, cultural and social forum known throughout Germany. Alongside popular one-off exhibitions, the museum also hosts a wide range of lecture programmes, high-profile discussion panels, readings, conferences and concerts.

Opening times:

Tuesday-Sunday 10am-6pm

Royal Cabinet of Mathematical and Physical Instruments in Zwinger Palace

One of the world's oldest scientific collections, the Royal Cabinet of Mathematical and Physical Instruments in Dresden's Zwinger Palace is divided into five sections:

The Cosmos of the Prince – mechanical marvels and mathematical instruments from around 1600. Instruments of the Enlightenment – this part of the exhibition is dedicated to the history of the museum. The Universe of Globes – an array of terrestrial and celestial globes from the cabinet's world-famous collection are on display. The March of Time – the history of clocks, watches and automata since the Renaissance. The Salon in the Salon – this part of the exhibition is where experiments from the past are recreated using historical equipment.

Opening times:

daily 10am-6pm

The Neuer Riesensaal

The Neuer Riesensaal (New Hall of the Giants) in Dresden is the setting for a range of objects selected from one of the world's most important collections of ceremonial weapons, armour and costume: the Rüstkammer (Dresden Armoury).

More than 350 objects are displayed, including tournament and ceremonial weaponry and accoutrements. With a specific focus on Saxon court life, the exhibits show how various tournament events were carried out, and illustrate the sporting pursuits of the time and the splendour enjoyed by the Saxony electors. At 57 metres long by 13 metres wide, the Riesensaal is an extraordinary exhibit in itself.